In 1981, you couldn't buy an American convertible. Chrysler brought back the ragtop in 1982, and GM and Ford quickly followed. These cars were unfortunately not designed and built as convertibles. They were instead finished coupes that were then sent to third-party companies who cut the tops off and added a few pieces of metal to strengthen the frames. So cars like the LeBaron pictured here as well as the Ford Mustang and Buick Rivera convertibles were quite expensive and not very durable. To Chrysler's credit, the next generation LeBaron introduced in 1987 was factory-built as a convertible.
I've certainly never before seen one of these with an aftermarket "continental kit" on the tail.
